William Shakespeare's Star Wars (14 page)

VADER
This day, I’ll warrant, lives in history:

The end of old Kenobi it hath seen,

And end of the Rebellion draweth near.

[Exeunt Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin
.

LUKE
Now what is this? Thou hast thine only love—

Thy dear reward—and now thou leavest quick?

HAN
’Tis true, I do confess. For I shall ne’er

Be free unless I use this great reward

To clear me from the crushing weight of debt.

And be thou honest, should I here remain

To fight against a pow’r as great as this?

’Tis foolishness, this fight, ’tis lunacy.

Pray Luke, come thou with us! Thou art a brave

And worthy lad, with wit and strength to fight.

LUKE
Speak thou not so! But open up thine eyes!

See here what noble cause thou leav’st behind!

Look in the hearts of these good people here!

Behold the Force that keeps rebellion strong!

Thou must have eyes to see what happens here,

How great the cost of this bleak battle is.

Thou knowest well what talent thou dost hold

To pilot and to lead with manner bold.

Turn not thy back upon thy Fate, good Han,

But turn thy heart and stay with us to fight!

HAN
What value hath reward when one is kill’d?

What benefit gives honor to the dead?

To try the fight against that station, Luke,

Is not good courage, rather suicide.

LUKE
Then take thou care now, Han, thou Solo act,

For certain ’tis the part thou best dost play.

HAN
Nay, listen: may the Force be with thee, Luke.

[Exit Luke
.

The ship that flies without a thruster fails:

Propulsion and direction must one have

To navigate the obstacles of space.

I know ’tis true, as any pilot doth.

Then how can I imagine that a man

Can fly without a conscience as his guide?

Without the inner compass of my soul,

How can I vainly hope to pilot life?

I know what ’tis to choose the right and good,

I know the small Rebellion’s cause is just,

I know the people here have need of help,

I know all this, but still do harbor doubt.

Yet shall my doubts lead me unto this choice,

And shall I choose convenience over right?

Or shall I choose myself o’er my new friends?

Aye, shall I choose rewards o’er my own soul?

A smuggler’s heart doth keep calm time inside,

No matter sways a pirate’s peaceful pulse.

But something stirs in me I ne’er have felt:

Is this a rebel’s heart I feel within?

[Exit Han Solo
.

LEIA
What is the matter, Luke?

LUKE
—’Tis only Han.

Methought he had a heart for good, but nay,

He hath not chang’d his mind.

LEIA
—He hath a path

Unto himself. Not thou, nor I, nor aught

Can plot the course he chooses, verily.

LUKE
I wish as well that Ben were here with us.

LEIA
A kiss I gave thee once to give thee strength,

Another kiss I give in friendship’s hope.

[She kisses him, then exits
.

BIGGS
Say, Luke!

LUKE
—Dear Biggs!

BIGGS
—It warms my heart to see

Thee here, good friend. Shalt thou go with us

hence

Against the Empire?

LUKE
—Aye! On our return

I’ll bend thine ears with stories wild and true.

RED LEAD.
I pray thee, Luke, canst thou these ships control?

BIGGS
I’ll stand as witness, Sir, that Luke shall prove

More worthy than myself. I’ll warrant he’s

The best of pilots in the Outer Rim.

Fear not this one, good Sir, he’ll earn his way.

RED LEAD.
Good lad, thou shalt suffice.

LUKE
—Aye, merry, Sir,

I’ll do my part.

[Red Leader exits
.

BIGGS
—Now must we thither go.

But when we come again unto this place,

I’ll drink with thee a dram of Naboo’s ale

Whilst thou thy tales relate.

LUKE
—Say, Biggs, take note:

For once I did assure thee I would join

Rebellion’s ranks, and here am I e’en now.

BIGGS
Shall be like olden times on Tatooine.

Dear friend, it gives me comfort for to see

Thee here. E’en death could come and welcome be,

Because I know that thou dost ride beside.

[Exit Biggs. Luke ascends to ship, with R2-D2 and rebel chief
.

CHIEF
This R2 unit hath known better days.

Wouldst thou a fit replacement for it find?

R2-D2
[
aside:
] Thou knave, say’st thou I have known better days?

I’ll better my days yet upon thy pate!

LUKE
Nay, say not so! For R2 hath been mine

Through many an adventure and, belike,

Hath exploits still to undergo.

R2-D2
—Beep, squeak!

C-3PO
O be thou safe, dear R2, and return!

For thou wouldst not that my existence should

Become a bore! [
Aside:
] O Fate, I prithee, keep

Them safe—my Master and my only friend—

Else should I find a lonely, tragic end.

[Exeunt
.

CHORUS
As our scene shifts to space, so deep and dark,

O’er your imagination we’ll hold sway.

For neither players nor the stage can mark

The great and mighty scene they must portray.

We ask you, let your keen mind’s eye be chief—

Think when we talk of starships, there they be.

If you can soon suspend thy disbelief,

The Death Star battle shall you plainly see!

So now: the preparation made with care,

Toward the Death Star rides the noble fleet.

By whirr of engines rebels take the air,

With courage strong their unknown Fate to meet.

COMPUTER
The Death Star doth approach, and shall within

The range of Yavin’s rebel base arrive

Within these fifteen minutes. Lo! Alert!

RED LEAD.
Good men, each now shall speak and state his name.

RED TEN
Red Ten doth here stand by.

RED SEVEN
—Red Seven doth

Stand by.

BIGGS
—Red Three doth here stand by.

RED SIX
—Red Six

Doth here stand by.

RED NINE
—Red Nine doth here stand by.

WEDGE
Red Two doth here stand by.

RED ELEVEN
—Red Eleven

Doth here stand by.

LUKE
—Red Five doth here stand by.

[
Aside:
] We have our numbers, yet our souls have names.

For I am Luke Skywalker, here beside

My friends, good Biggs and Wedge Antilles, too—

No war shall render us unto mere threes

And twos and fives. We ride, for ride we must—

And here we ride in Ben’s most worthy name,

True, here we ride in Leia’s noble name,

Aye, here we ride in Alderaan’s slain name—

O here we ride for all the names which have,

Throughout our lives, been written on our hearts.

Our debt to them is past all numbering.

RED LEAD.
Now lock thine S foils in attacking mode.

We shall pass through the thin magnetic field.

Use your deflector shields and form in line!

I prithee, men, take care and be ye bold.

WEDGE
But look, I say, how large this Death Star is!

[
Aside:
] I am afear’d that this shall be my end.

RED LEAD.
Pray, peace, Red Two! Now all accelerate

Unto the speed wherein we may attack.

The time is here, good men, ’tis not to come:

It will be now. The readiness is all.

GOLD LEAD.
Red Leader, dost thou hear me?

RED LEAD.
—Verily.

GOLD LEAD.
The Gold Team leads unto the target shaft.

RED LEAD.
We have a positive position reach’d,

Thus shall I fly across the axis for

To draw their fire whilst thou dost penetrate.

CHORUS
The rebel ships now make their first attack

And fire unto the Death Star’s iron walls.

The Empire shoots with lethal laser back:

’Tis death to anyone on whom it falls.

WEDGE
The volleys fall from close at hand.

RED LEAD.
—I see!

LUKE
Red Five reporting: swiftly I go in!

[
Aside:
] My first attempt here falls—O hit the mark!

CHORUS
With courage rare Luke makes initial pass

And blasts his way unto the Death Star’s hull.

But now maneuvers he too close, alas!

Shall he escape the fire’s most deadly pull?

BIGGS
How goes it, Luke?

LUKE
—I nearly cook’d my goose,

But all is well. [
Aside:
] Now shall I take more care!

OFFICER 5
Full thirty ships descend upon us, Sir.

So small are they our lasers pass them by.

VADER
Aye, then shall we destroy them ship to ship.

Tell thou the crews “be ready to attack.”

[Exeunt Darth Vader and Officer 5
.

RED LEAD.
Now take ye care, good men! Great fire doth rage

From outside of the harsh deflection tow’r.

LUKE
I stand prepar’d.

BIGGS
—Now shall I strike! Pray, give

Me thy good cover, Porkins.

RED SIX
—Stand I strong

And ready for to give thee aid, Red Three.

CHORUS
Now bravely Biggs doth render sharp, hard blast

Unto the evil Death Star’s armor’d side.

The Empire’s fire unto his mate hath pass’d,

And now Red Six doth face a troubl’d ride.

RED SIX
Disaster at me strikes.

BIGGS
—Eject, forsooth!

RED SIX
I yet may set it right.

BIGGS
—Anon, pull up!

RED SIX
Nay, nay, I’ll warrant that all shall be well—

[Explosion. Red Six dies
.

COMPUTER
In seven minutes shall the Death Star be

Within the range of our fair rebel base.

CHORUS
As rebels’ spirits with great strength redound,

A voice speaks unto Luke, as to a son.

Luke hears the voice and its familiar sound:

’Tis his old friend and Master Obi-Wan.

GHOST
[
aside:
] Pray, trust thy feelings, Luke.

LUKE
—I hear this voice

And know it well. O me! Speak thou again!

And heed the voice, my soul, and trust thyself:

On Ben’s command I’ll strike a hearty blow!

[He shoots and strikes Death Star
.

Exit Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi
.

OFFICER
Squad leaders, mark me well. New fighters have

Appear’d, and come toward you presently.

LUKE
My scope shows naught, my eyes to them are blind.

RED LEAD.
Employ thy visu’l scanning—they approach!

Red Seven, thou hast one upon thy rear.

RED SEVEN
My ship is hit! Now must I die, dear friends.

[Explosion. Red Seven dies
.

LUKE
Good friends, if thou dost catch an enemy

Behind thy ship, I prithee watch it well!

BIGGS
Now am I plagued by such a one, help help!

For neither can I see where he doth go—

He flies so close that my maneuvers fail.

LUKE
Hold fast, brave Biggs, till I can give thee aid.

Upon the enemy I fly, and shoot!

BIGGS
Bold Luke, thou hast a life return’d to me.

So may I one day give to thee in turn.